Tonight is the final game before the All-Star break for both the Pistons and the Raptors. It’s also the first meeting of the season for the two teams that have been biggest positive surprises in the Eastern Conference.
Don’t get me wrong. Everyone knew Detroit would be good heading into 2025-26, yet I’m not sure how many could have predicted that the club would be 39-13 and 5.5-games clear of all other teams in the East. As for Toronto, the Raptors seem poised to make their first postseason appearance in four years. Toronto also has two All-Stars for the first time since 2019-2020, after yesterday’s news of Brandon Ingram making the festivities as an injury replacement.
Who will carry the good vibes into All-Star Weekend? Let’s preview this tilt with the help of some of some odds and lines on the DraftKings Sportsbook.
Pistons at Raptors prediction, preview
It’s been an interesting last 10 games for the Raptors. While Toronto is 7-3 in that span of time — taking advantage of a soft schedule that included the Kings, the Jazz, the Bulls and the Pacers — two of the three losses have been heart-breaking, with the Raptors blowing double-digit fourth quarter leads to both the Magic and the Timberwolves. Still, the team owns a +4.9 net rating in this 10-game stretch, which is the ninth-best mark in the NBA. For the season as a whole, Toronto is in possession of the league’s sixth-best defensive rating (112.1). At this point, the sample size is too large for phonies. The Raptors are simply a good squad.
While it’s undeniable that the aforementioned Ingram has been a massive part of Toronto’s turnaround as a franchise, the driving force of the Raptors’ success is Scottie Barnes. The former Rookie of the Year is justifying his max contract extension in 2025-26, easily playing the best basketball of his career. Barnes’ 19.4 points per game or 30.6% mark from beyond the arc don’t jump off the page, yet the 24-year-old’s versatility is nearly unmatched in the league. Not only can Barnes serve as a back-up center or run the fast break as a point-forward, but he can reliably defend all five positions on the court. In fact, Barnes is a strong candidate for Defensive Player of the Year, as he leads all players in stocks (steals + blocks) with 150 entering action on Wednesday. The two-time All-Star is also on the heels of an amazing performance in Sunday’s victory over Indiana, with Barnes registering 25 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, four blocks and two steals. Again, he can do it all.
On the Pistons’ side, the team has won five of its last six contests, with the lone loss coming in a confusing result against the lowly Wizards. Regardless, Detroit sports the NBA’s second-best defensive rating (108.4) and second-best net rating +8.1 for the season, trailing only the Thunder in both categories. The Pistons also have the luxury of employing Cade Cunningham. The former first-overall pick has just been one of the top players in the league in 2025-26, averaging 25.3 points per game while leading basketball in assists per contest (9.6). With Cunningham on the court, Detroit is scoring 120.1 points per 100 possessions. With him off? That offensive rating falls to 112.9. He’s the straw that stirs this very successful drink.
Specific to tonight’s matchup, the Pistons will be a little shorthanded in the front court, as Jaren Duren and Isaiah Stewart have been suspended for their involvement in Monday’s on-court brawl against the Hornets. Duren received a two-game ban, while Stewart will have to sit out seven. This should all translate into a massive role for Paul Reed on Wednesday. The veteran big man has already started six times for Detroit this season, posting a respectable 11.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per contest. Ironically, the Raptors will be equally hamstrung at the five-spot, with Collin Murray-Boyles (thumb) ruled out. Jakob Poeltl (back) is technically questionable to return from his 24-game absence, yet even if he is available, he’ll surely be on a heavy minutes restriction.
Pistons at Raptors pick, best bet
Best Bet: Pistons ML (-110)
It feels like a rare opportunity to essentially get the Pistons in a pick’em. Detroit is 17-7 on the road in 2025-26, which is the highest road winning percentage in the Eastern Conference (70.8%). Meanwhile, the Raptors are 0-6 this season against the Knicks and the Celtics, who sit second and third in the East behind the Pistons. Toronto hasn’t yet shown the ability to beat the conference’s best.
